UN halts humanitarian operations in Gaza after Israeli evacuation orders
Gaza (Quds News Network)- The United Nations has been forced to halt its humanitarian operations in Gaza following new evacuation orders issued by Israel for Deir Al-Balah area, where the UN’s operations center was located. This decision comes amid escalating Israeli attacks on the besieged Palestinian territory, which has seen large-scale destruction and civilian displacement since the genocide began on October 7, 2023.
A senior UN official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, confirmed that as of Monday, UN operations in Gaza have ceased. “We’re unable to deliver today with the conditions that we’re in,” the official stated. The UN had previously moved its main operations center to Deir Al-Balah after Israel ordered the evacuation of Rafah in southern Gaza several months ago. With the latest orders, the UN faces uncertainty over where to relocate next. “Where do we move now?” the official questioned, highlighting the challenges of operating under constant threat.
The halt in UN operations has raised significant concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, particularly as the UN was preparing to launch a polio vaccination campaign targeting an estimated 640,000 children in the strip. The World Health Organization recently reported the first case of polio in Gaza in 25 years, affecting a 10-month-old baby. More than 3,000 people were expected to participate in the vaccination campaign, including over 1,000 from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the largest healthcare provider remaining in Gaza.
Sam Rose, a senior field director for UNRWA, noted that despite the suspension of broader UN operations, UNRWA is still managing to deliver some health and other services. However, Rose expressed concerns about the shrinking space for humanitarian efforts: “We are being squeezed into ever smaller areas of Gaza. The humanitarian zone declared by Israel has shrunk. It’s now about 11% of the entire Gaza Strip.”
The UN and other humanitarian organizations are urging for calm and humanitarian pauses to allow aid to reach those in desperate need. “The humanitarian response here is being completely strangled,” said Louise Wateridge, spokesperson for UNRWA in Gaza. The UN has also called for international intervention to ensure the safety and security of both the Palestinian population and humanitarian workers on the ground as Israel continues to target them.
